The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1887-05-20

q
J1e made 10 move IN that direction. He
sl'enf mach Il his tiuse In the neighbor-
bod y The Lane. He carried his gun
glesf "a the time. Nov aud then he
brought bone rabbit Tor dinner. He
aad iseeI, ~ he mas fond Of saving.
Searching If hunter IL his time. and
eEer n0E Eas counted good Shot for
ua1 q his aec.
Aftsr Dick had finished splitting rails
fort fsnce. be had Sd trEeued his axe.
an6, taxing a good serthe. went down
r clear the ground Of brushes and
brian.
IL knew this would Be Do small task.
5ai his arms were strong aud his will
good. Hardly un hour had he worked
rheH q rsfs shot rang OUT on the air and
H. strong night arm dropped 10 his SIDE
FsiiuiuilE wound d.
50 severe uas his injury that be could
Do neEling toNard discovering who fired
the murdefosN shot. and he was alone.
After hc bad made HE way 10 the house.
rhe alarm aas gisen and d crowd Of men
and iors turned cut and hunted the lane
frem end 10 end, but In vain; no one
could be found hiding there, and the
deed remained mystery.
In ilis way tEings stood for some time
Dicks arm hezied slowly somehow. The
bone had been injured little. the doctor
sad. Dick sax Bess now and then. He
e'iid not help noticing that the poor
cheeks Ecre growing paler day By
aay. and she seemed ready 70 break down
whenever he came 90 see her. Her father
Eas home hut little now Night aud day
H. siood guard 1t the lane. a sturdy vet
er1n 90 some selfimposed post Of duty.
he had even slept cut in tae bushes sew
eral times al night, coming 10 his meals
in the morning stid aud sore from the
danip. bgt with q determined lock on his
lace. lie vas man who never yielded
what b. Thought was right The thirty
dsys given By law had passed, and the
+ Township Trustees allowed 10 build
the fence IN a few DAYS. They had
Natched tlings from a distance and knew
( how desperate the old man was.
About this tine Dick and Bess hap
pened 70 be sitting on the porch in the
harvest moonlight Uncle Joe was out
on the fence probably. Neither Of the
young people referred 10 him.
A. they sa; thus Dick turned his eyes
toward the DEVILS lane.
What was il be saw
lie sprang 10 his feet. Away down at
the far-her end Of the lane cloud Of
smoke curled lazily up.
As he watched. the breeze freshcned a
little, and q lurid glare leaned angrily
skyUsrd. sweeping the fire directly down
the lane.
solae one had fred the underground
which crowded the lane.
II was time Of the year when every
Thing was as dry as finder. There had
been DO rain for weeks. and fire like that
was thing 70 be dreaded.
Where Is your father, Bessl'
The girl COW rose quickly, and with
startled gaze looked toward the lane.
He must be down yonder. Dick, I'm
afraid-you don't suppose
The bush Is on FIRE. II your father is
there be is in danger / will 90 and see
il 4 can find him.
Before the words were fairly spoken
Dick had cleared the fence surrounding
the farm house, and was running swiftly
toward the fire, Bess following as fast as
she could.
How the flames did sweep through that
thiclzcfl II seemed 10 lick the cracking
bushes up ike leaves. II her father was
ihere-no: She couldn't bear to think
what might be his fate. The old man
was tired with his watching lie might
have fallen asleep down there as he had
50 often before.
Dick soon reached the lane and plunged
into the bushes as near the fire as he
dared. II Uncle Joe was behind him
thea noshing abort of = miracle. could
SAVE llfaii- II IL nOnt, tilrn lie possibly
might be rescued from death in the
flames
Don't come in here, Bess, shouted
Dick as be saw the girl about to leap into
the thick growth Of brushes near him
Go farther down and look along the
fence"
Poor Bcss obeyed silently. How like
a very giant he seemed to her as he
iramped through the briars, mud and
bushes. tearing his face and hands terri
bly,. hunting for the wilful old man who
had Nronged him SO. Now there was his
night arm powerlessi Did Bess know
who bad fired the shot that had made it
sol II she did. she dutifully kept the Sc
cret.
On and on swept the flames, chasing
Dick like mad demons. The lower end
Of the lane was in sight. That would
end the search. Where WAS the old mani
Had be missed hiini Could it be he had
indeed perishedl Dicks heart had soft
ened toward the old man. 1t was a use
less quarrel. He was ashamed of his part
in it, II he had know how Uncle Joe
felt about it, be never would have said a
word about the miserable lane
Suddenly low cry fell on Dicks ears.
II came from the rear. where the fire was
raging fiercely. Dick knew Uncle Joe
had been found
Could he reach him before it would be
too lstei God help him, he would try.
Serring himself for the ordeal, he rushed
back through the smoke toward the spot
whence the cry proceeded. Again the
call came, this time full Of horror.
Piunging on. his feet hot, his breath
choked, and his clothing on fire in
places, the young man heroically made
his way.
When almost ready to drop he found
Uncle Joe staggering blindly toward the
place. He was fearfully burned and al
most exhausted.
Selling him with his left arm, Dick
bore him out into the meadow, and
placing him on the ground, rolled him
9ser and over till the flames which were
eating into his flesh were put out. Then
be fell to the earth himself unconscious.
By this time Bess had reached them
Quickly she wrapped Dick in her own
garments, deadening the fire, and he was
saved.
Two months after that Dick and
Uncle Joe, Scared and still weak, stag
gered toward each other and clasped
hands
I've been a fool, or crazy, Diekl-
said Uncle Joe in a choked voice I'm
ashamed of myself Can't ysu forgive
nei7
..Don't take all the blame, Uncle joe
was the young mans reply. I've done
wrong myself. I'm sorry, let's forget it,
and build a fence worthy the name.n
That was all that was said about the
Devils Lane The joint fence was built,
and Uncle Joe kept his part up faithfully